In light of the recent tragedy in Cumbria, the UK’s influential parliamentary Home Affairs Committee has announced that it will conduct an inquiry into Firearms Control. The Committee has called for written evidence from interested parties. Anyone can make a submission and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) is encouraging all those who participate in shooting sports to do so.
Whilst the various shooting organisations, including the BASC will be making submissions, it is important that individuals participating and supporting the shooting sports do likewise.
All submissions should be original and should be submitted before 27 August 2010. Submissions should contain your name, telephone number and address, and can be made by email to homeaffcom@parliament.uk either as a Microsoft Word or rich text document. It is suggested that you include details of the type of shooting you participate in, the reason it is important to you, and how long you have participated.
At SelfSufficiencyWorld we firmly believe that the recent events in Cumbria, like previous tragic events in Dunblane, Hungerford and elsewhere, are some of the most horrific and shocking tragedies that can impact on our society. We do not however believe that firearms are the cause of such devastating events. A firearm is a tool. Like a screwdriver, a hammer, or a golf club it has a purpose, and it can be used to productive ends, or, like a screwdriver, a hammer or a golf club, it can be misused, sometimes in horrific ways.
Facts show there is no relationship between gun crime and responsible firearms ownership. Indeed it is widely recognised by both the Police and the Home office that the shooting community is extremely law abiding. At SelfSufficiencyWorld we fully support responsible shooting sports and urge those of you who are respectful law abiding shooters, who I am sure also condemn the misuse of firearms, to make a submission.
Despite what some of the mainstream media would have you believe, shooting is an important part of rural Britain, and as we have highlighted previously, it is an Olympic sport which Britain excels at. This is despite the law ludicrously requiring some pistol disciplines to train abroad. It is also important to the British economy, and the rural environment as a whole. As responsible shooters we all have a duty to protect the sport, and also to continue to make it the safe sport that it is today.
We firmly believe that the current laws have already gone too far in restricting legal and responsible firearms ownership, but we are also eager to ensure that the public at large feels, and remains safe with regard to gun crime.
We fully support the BASC and further detailed information can be found on their website: http://www.basc.org.uk/
We urge you to make a factual submission, and we equally urge the inquiry to fully understand the weight of the responsibility that rests with them.
